just your typical thursday night

It's been too damn long, so here goes:

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Joe and I take Vincent to swimming lessons.  He isn't even close to swimming yet, but it's mostly just to get him comfortable in the water and to learn basics like kicking, blowing bubbles, etc.  Anyway, I usually pick V up after work and Joe meets us at the pool.

Today was no exception to the rule.

At first.

Vincent has an "ear thing" and tends to freak out a little when he is reclined back in the water so that the back of his head, and ears, are in the water. He hates it. Not quite sure how to get him over that. Today we didn't do too much floating in the water, so he didn't freak out much at all.  It was really fun, actually.  I love doing those lessons with him and Joe.

After our session was over, we walked out to the parking lot where we opened the hatch to our Montero and got him changed into dry clothes, same as always. 

Joe usually gets V situated in the car seat whenever we go anywhere.  I'm actually not 100% sure why he always does that, but he does.  Which is nice.  :-)  But since Joe was going to stop and grab us dinner on the way home, I decided to give him a head start and said that I would take over and get V in the car seat so that he could head out to grab food.

After a "love you" and a "bye" and a "see you later" he was gone.

I was putting Vincent in his car seat and since his new favorite toys are Gumby and Pokey (funny, huh?), I gave him Gumby and Pokey - or "Bungy" and "Picky" as he likes to call them - to play with in the car seat. And as I was fastening him up, he also had my keys because he likes to press the lock and unlock button over and over.

Anyway, he was content while I was getting him locked in and I asked him, "Did you have fun swimming?"

"Yes!" he responded joyfully.

"Do you like swimming in the pool?"

"Yes!" he quickly added again.

He is so cute!  :-)

Anyway, V was all set and ready to go and so I shut the door and went to the back hatch to close the hatch.  When I realized I needed my purse up front with me (which I had left in the way back), I tried to open the hatch and it was locked.

Tried Vincent's door and it was locked.

Tried the driver's door and it was locked.

Every door was locked.  And my keys?

They were on the seat next to Vincent's car seat.  They had fallen there after he hit that "Lock" button one last time.

[Commence semi-freaking out.]

Joe was already gone.  My keys, cell phone, and BABY were all locked in the car.  I was standing there with nothing by my bathing suit, a wet shirt, and a towel wrapped around my waist.

I tried all the doors again thinking they would miraculously decide to open, but they wouldn't.

What should I do? 

I looked at Vincent through the window and he just smiled at me, like I was playing a game with him or something, then he continued to play with his toys.  The keys mocked me as they stared up at me from the seat below.

I yelled at a young man who had just parked next to me and started to walk over to the pool.  I asked him if I could borrow his phone and he obliged.

I tried to call Joe, but he didn't answer.

"I don't know what to do," I said, mostly rhetorically.

Mr. Phone Man replied, "Well, just try to stay calm.  I know there's a police station nearby, so may be they could come?"

Brilliant!

I called 911 and was placed on hold for forever (okay, maybe it was only 20 seconds that just SEEMED like forever).  I felt like the worst parent in the history of parenting as I told the operator what was happening. 

She asked for my phone number and I told her, "My phone...and everything...is in the car with my son.  I don't even know the man who's phone I'm using."

"Okay, ma'am.  That's fine.  I'm going to get a paramedic on the line."

I don't remember much of that conversation other than the fire department answering, asking me a few questions, me telling them my car information and location.  Then the dispatch operator lady got my name and number and said that someone would be there within a few minutes.

While I was waiting, I thanked Mr. Phone Man profusely and he said that he had to go in and pick up his son, but that he would be back out in a bit if I needed his phone again.  I thanked him again and he went on his way.

I tried the doors again as if it was just a bad dream.  Or maybe just to torture myself.  When they didn't open (shocker!), I decided to pass the time playing peek-a-boo with Vincent.  He was just laughing at me, smiling, and not having a care in the world. 

Not even 2 minutes later we heard sirens, which I knew were for us.

Vincent said from inside the car, "Ambince!  Ambince!"  (What he calls "Ambulance"). 

A paramedic fire truck showed up as well as one Police SUV.  They got out and Vincent just stared at them as they tried to jimmy each door open.  Didn't get freaked out at all.  God, I adore that kid.

Not even 5 minutes later the driver's door was opened and all of the doors were unlocked.  And then they were all gone a minute after that.

Once I hugged the crap out of Vincent and made sure that I had the keys IN M HAND, I climbed in, turned the car and A/C on, and looked at my phone.  It was 6:10.  Exactly 1 minute since the car was reopened. 10 minutes since V was first locked in the car.

I called Joe and I think his response was something like "Wow".  I know, I know...I'm pretty awe inspiring, huh?  Anyway, we actually ended up agreeing that calling 911 was the best option.  Especially since he didn't even have a spare key on him.

Vincent's time in the car = approximately 9 minutes.

My time feeling the absolute worst mother on the face of Planet Earth = approximately 9 minutes + every minute thereafter.

That was, hands down, the most nerve-wracking and scariest 9 minutes of my life so far. Hands. Down. As I think about V's sweet little face, oozing happiness, and precious little life, it still makes me feel like I am the worst mother on the face of Planet Earth. 

But Joe's response to that was, "No...Casey Anthony is."

for the beauty of the earth

This Thanksgiving, I am reflecting on the fact that my eyes have been so opened to what it means to be truly "thankful". I can't possibly spend enough time talking about every single thing I am thankful for because I would be here for an eternity. But, most of all, I am thankful for...

My wonderful, loving husband who...no matter what we go through...is my rock in everything.

My sister-in-law who gave Joe her kidney a few years ago. I am seriously thankful for this every single day.

My beagle. Having never owned a dog before her, she has opened my eyes to unconditional love. I am truly blessed by her.

My family. To my parents and sister - there may only be 4 of us, but we are so strong, so close. And I am so thankful for the love we share. To my aunts, uncles, cousins and others - I don't see you nearly enough, but am thankful for every memory with you.

Joe's family. Even though we are so far away, you always remain so close to our hearts.

Health care.

My job.

My home.

Our earth.

My freedoms.

And last, but DEFINITELY not least...my perfect, healthy, angelic, and amazingly beautiful son.



For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth over and around us lies,
Lord of all, to thee we raise this our grateful hymn of praise.

For the beauty of each hour of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower, sun and moon and stars of light,
Lord of all, to thee we raise this our grateful hymn of praise.

For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above, pleasures pure and undefiled,
Lord of all, to thee we raise this our grateful hymn of praise.

excerpt from:
"For the Beauty of the Earth"
by Folliott S. Pierpoint

Happy Thanksgiving!

if you're reading this...

...then now you know that I was NOT rapture-ized either.

Which is a good thing, because I want to be around a little longer to make sure our little baby is okay.

On a boring note, I got an "A" in my Statistics and Measurements class which was no small feat because it was not the most exhilarating course thus far. But (as I'm sure Joe can agree) I worked my ever-expanding BUTT off on that class and I am really proud of myself. I honestly didn't think I could pull it off.

Other than that, not much has been going on that is truly newsworthy other than I have already pretty much gained ALL the weight I lost last year. I know it'll eventually come off again...but the pictures kind of make me upchuck a little. The belly part's cute, so I thought I'd share a picture for you all, but just ignore all the rest of the chunkiness.

Little Baby McG is doing just fine so far. I'm feeling him a lot more lately, too. And that is a good thing because every once in awhile he'll be really lazy and it's always comforting to feel him move again. Makes me realize he's doing okay.

Our monthly checkups have been going really really well so far, too. They have actually been pretty boring, if I must say so. All I do is go, weigh in (my FAVORITE!), get my blood pressure checked, and have my uterus measured. I usually have to wait in the waiting room for about 20-30 minutes, but once I'm in, I'm out again in like 5 minutes. So there haven't been many issues at all.

And that is a good GREAT thing!

This week, though, I have my glucose screening test...which I am actually a little nervous about. Joe has already warned me about this test (he's had to do it a few times over the years), so I'm already prepared for it to taste ridiculously sweet and strong. But that's not what I'm worried about. I'm worried about the results of the test, which will show if I have any level of blood sugar abnormalities. I'm over 25, obviously, and I am REALLY overweight. And those are two of the risk factors for gestational diabetes. But there are other risk factors, too, so I'll be hoping for the best. I just really want everything to be okay, so keep your fingers crossed for me.

On a happier note...

Jim and Bobbie, you should be so proud of your son! Joe has really been amazing throughout the whole experience so far. He is helpful, supportive, giving, calming, and just all around the best father-to-be ever. And I know he's been anticipating a big freak out and/or breakdown from me at some point (don't you just LOVE how movies portray females in pregnancy?) - and, I guess there's always the chance that it could still happen - but I really haven't had many mood swings at all so far. Just a couple that I can think of. But, more importantly, he's been so supportive at all times and ends up just doing something awesome like rubbing my shoulders or holding my hand. Sorry if this is embarrassing you, Joe...just want people to know that you freakin' rock!

:-)

And one more thing...

We are still not announcing our little one's name yet. Sorry. :-( But just don't ask. Joe and I want to keep it a special secret between the two of us for a little while longer.

Don't worry, though. You'll all know soon enough...I promise.

faq's

Here are some answers to common and frequently asked questions:

Q: Do you know what you're having?
A: As far as the ultrasound technician is concerned, we're having a boy! You can take a look at this post to read about the details and see the "cute" little picture. On one hand, I guess there is never 100% certainty until the little bundle of joy makes it out into the daylight. But on the other hand we're definitely planning for a boy. :-)

Side note - Have you ever thought that certain people strike you as a "Girl" mom or a "Boy" mom? What I mean is, sometimes when I think of people I know who are parents, it sometimes seems that they really fit as the mother of girls or they really seem like a mother of boys. Does that even make sense? Does anyone else ever think that? If yes, then do you think of me as a "Girl" mom or a "Boy" mom?

Q: When are you due?
A: August. The absolute most GORGEOUS time of the year in Arizona, might I add. August 21st to be exact. But, as you all know, this is generally an estimate and little Baby McG will rear his little head whenever he sees fit.

Q: Have you thought of any names yet?
A: Yes. Yes we have. We are pretty certain of the names we like best, but will probably keep it under wraps until we are both comfortable letting the world know.

Q: Have you felt the baby kicking yet?
A: Kind of, but not really. There have been a few very light tiny flutters so far, but for the most part, he's been a little on the lazy side...kind of like his sister Lucy. I will definitely make it known when I feel him going crazy for the first "real" time, though. Until then, it's still hard to believe there's a little dude in my belly!

Q: How are you feeling?
A: Aside from my ever-fattening cankles (if you need to know what cankles are, click here), I am feeling fine! Although...I am kind of dreading how I might feel in the last trimester when I'm 5,000 pounds heavier and dripping sweat from the Arizona summer heat.

Q: Aren't you just the luckiest person to be married to Joe?
A: Why yes. Yes, I am. Thank you for asking! ;-)

all things nuchal

At my first OB appointment a few weeks ago, they advised me to contact The Fetal & Women's Center of Arizona to set up an appointment for once I was between weeks 11 and 12. They said that this organization has the best ultrasound technology available. So I ended up scheduling the appointment for yesterday because right now I am somewhere at the end of week 11, beginning of week 12.

Originally, I thought the appointment was just to check growth and get some cute little ultrasound pictures. But we discovered yesterday that the scanning was actually to test the baby's nuchal translucency. Nuchal translucency screening tests for all types of chromosomal abnormalities (mainly Down Syndrome) and congenital heart defects. Nuchal translucency refers to the fluid-filled space at the back of the baby's neck. The reason they look at this space in particular is because they have found that fetuses that have a high amount of fluid in this space at the back of the neck have more likelihood of having a chromosomal abnormality, such as Down Syndrome. The primary things that are taken into consideration when testing for these birth defects are (1) the mother's age, (2) the amount of nuchal translucency in the fetus, and (3) bloodwork.

The ultrasound scan lasted for almost 50 minutes...yeah, 50 minutes...because little Baby McG was being a little turd and would pretty much show nothing but his/her backside. The tech was getting a little frustrated, too, especially after about 30 minutes of not even being able to take a measurement. So she had me try to cough to get the little butthead to move a little. Yeah...no luck. Either the baby was being stubborn or was being extremely lazy and just didn't want to move. Yeah...this kid is TOTALLY related to Joe, huh? :-)

Anyway, she went from a scan on the belly, to an internal scan, to another scan on the belly. Finally, she was able to get some measurements before leaving to show the results to the doctor. The doctor came back to tell us about what they were looking for and what they found in the initial look at the scan. All I have to say is that next time, Baby McG better be a little more cooperative. Otherwise, I have a feeling we'll have to lay down the law pretty good with this kid.

As far as the results go, based on my age alone the chance of any chromosomal abnormality is about 1:630 (or 0.15%). After the complete results of the scan and bloodwork are in (sometime next week), they will update that number showing either a higher risk or a lower risk of birth defects. Based on their initial measurements during the scan, however, they said that everything looked completely normal.

Phew! :-)

Here are some updated photos of the little one. A lot of them confuse me as to what I'm actually looking at, so I tried to pick some of the most distinguishable photos. Enjoy!

Baby McG's backside:

Baby McG's left side:

Baby McG's right side profile:

alive and kickin'

Hey everyone!

I know it's been quite a while since we last blogged it up on our site, so I thought I'd take this opportunity to procrastinate my homework a little longer and type up a blog because it's really depressing to me that our last one was three months ago. That's just ridiculous. So...

Everything has been going well. Joe, Lucy and I are all good. That is all.

Bye, and thanks for reading!!

he he he

Kidding. Here goes...

• Camping - Joe and I went camping in Tucson for our Anniversary in February and ended up getting snowed out. We were camped at a place towards the bottom of Mt. Lemmon, but decided to drive up towards the top of the Mountain to sight see and walk around only to be greeted by an impending snow storm. It was crazy. A heck of a lot of fun. But crazy. When we drove back down to our campsite, it was raining heavily with a little bit of snow/slush mixed in, so instead of sticking it out and getting hypothermia, we packed up and went to a hotel for the night. We were able to go camping again in April, though. Mom and dad, Joe, Lucy and I went up near Prescott and camped up there. It was WONDERFUL! I love camping so much. It's a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of Phoenix, spend time with nature and each other, and relax. And making campfires is fun, too.
  
• Snow - Joe and Lucy Fur and Alanna and I were fortunate enough to get up north before the winter season was over and played around in the snow. And Flagstaff is so much fun! We spent some time sledding up at the Wing Mountain Play Area just outside of Flag and drove up to Snow Bowl, too. I can't wait until winter again! (and yes...I know it's just barely May).
  
• Camera - My camera was stolen at the annual Ostrich Festival in Chandler. Joe, Alanna and I had finished watching a freak show (yeah...interesting) and were walking towards the ostrich races when I realized I had left my camera on the seat. We were gone for only a couple minutes and it was already gone. No one turned it in either. I'm just thankful there were only a few pictures on it. There was one of Joe eating an ostrich burger, so I apologize for those whi were looking forward to seeing that. :-) On a side note, though, I am so disgutsed by the fact that this camera, which was a gift from Joe for Christmas just FIVE MONTHS AGO, is nowhere to be found. Why in God's name do there need to be so many camera models made all the time. I love this camera and apparently will never have another one because it has literally vanished from all existence and is NOWHERE to be found. Why do they have to discontinue cameras so quickly just to make new models that will be discontinued in 6 months anyway?
  
• School - I finally started my master's program and am just finishing up my second course. I've been doing really well, so far (whenever I don't procrastinate) and am actually enjoying learning again. The course I am in right now is called Life-Span Development and it has mainly brushed up on some things I already knew from my undergrad studies, but it's just really interesting to speak with a facilitator who is actually in the field and to learn from what she has to say. The topics are interesting as well. Most recently I have examined my own family tree on both my father's and mother's sides and analyzed different traits of each person to help in determining which characteristics are hereditary and which are a result of environmental factors. I'm probably boring you, so I'll just end by saying that I'm actually liking it a little more than I thought I would.
  
• Family visit - Joe's mom, sister Jen and nephew Jason just came out to Arizona for a visit a couple weeks ago. Jason is looking into attending a school out here in the Phoenix area so they came for a tour and to see Joe and Theresa and Lucy...the most amazing Phoenicians who ever lived. :-) We hung out, walked around Papago Park, played with Lucy Fur, and just had a good time. It is so nice having visitors so please come back! And anyone who wants to come visit, just give us a heads up and we'll get the guest room set up for ya!!
  
• Lucy -Lucy is doing well. She apparently needs long-term medication for her tick fever because it's still in her little body. But she isn't just a lump of fur anymore. She eats normally, is very playful at times, and is fairly healthy overall. But she has to take daily meds for six months. She'll go in for another check up later this year, at which point they will determine if they can lower the dosage or create another treatment plan. But overall, she's good. She's still pretty calm, but does have so normal beagle energy, so that's good. Poor beagle. Stupid little tick. What did she ever do to you?
• People and the never-ending quest to understand them - I am amazed by people and technology. What it is even more amazing is how people use technology. For example, technology is used for things such as relaying big news to family/friends in a quick and easy manner. It is used to keep in touch with long lost friends and rebuild friendships from years past. It is also used...apparently...to "break up" with friends. Sending hateful emails to friends and family, deleting people as friends from Facebook, ostracizing family/friends by blocking them from each other. Technology, while I love it and understand how it is helpful (for doing things like blogging!), has sometimes become an avenue where people lead such passive-aggressive lives. It's kind of ridiculous.
  
• Work - On a lighter note, work has been going well for both Joe and I. I actually really like my job. One thing that happened recently that was a little sad, however, is that the team I have worked with over the past year and a half (or so) was taken away from me. :-( Sad. The entire division was reorganized. It takes me time to build friendships and working relationships with people...especially on a team where there were already "issues" when I first came on board. But relationships are not just an automatic thing for me. I don't meet someone and instantly become in sync with them. And it definitely took awhile for everyone on our team to work well together. Finally, a year and a half later, when we are on a roll, working super well together as as high performing team...surprise! See ya later guys. They switched us around and now we're no longer together. While I know I will still see my old teammates regularly and while I know my new teammates will be good to work with as well, it's still just sad because of the amount of effort I put in to that team. We were like a little family of sorts. I liked them so much! All I have to say is that my new teammates have some pretty big shoes to fill. As for Joe...I know Joe likes his job, too (for the most part! he he), and is also thinking of possibly going back to school within the next couple years as well. So work is good. We have jobs and can pay bills. So that's good enough for me!
  
• Books - I decided to start a book review blog. I only have one review so far, but seriously. Check it out. This book is awesome. And I know this was written MONTHS ago when I didn't have too much going on and there will definitely be more to come, but don't judge. Just read.
  
• Joe - Joe told me to make sure that I add in here a quick note for him because he wants everyone knows how much he loves me. How sweet! :-)

Phew! How was that for procrastinating? :-) Have a great weekend everyone! Hope all is well...

XOXO
T

blogging it up!

Here are some updates on the Arizona McGowan clan.

Lucy:
For a reminder of Lucy Fur's latest health debacle, glance through our previous post. Christmas and the two weeks that followed were a pretty tense time on the Lucy front, actually. But after almost two thousand dollars' worth of testing (and a stressful holiday), they concluded that she had tick fever. The valley fever results came back negative, thank GOODness. They put her on a special bland diet, liver booster pills, probiotics, and antibiotics (why the probiotics and antibiotics don't cancel each other out, is beyond me) and then, after follow up testing, decided to keep her on the bland diet along with doxycycline for the tick fever. We will be having her 6 week follow up this week, at which time we will see if the liver enzymes have reduced (meaning less treatment) or not (meaning long term treatment plan is needed). Will keep you posted.

Car:
In addition to paying for vet visits and beagle meds, we also needed to buy a new car. When I say "new car" I mean new for us....not brand new as in "never been owned before". Over the holidays, Joe's truck finally went kaput. For good this time. And after researching different options, he decided that it wasn't worth the money that it would take to fix it. Sad. I actually really liked that little truck! And also, it's a royal pain in the REAR to have to get a new vehicle. But we ended up looking around to see what was out there in the used department. My dad actually found an SUV that was for sale and parked in the parking lot of where my Granny (mom's mom) moved to. 2002 Mitsubishi Montero, ES Sport, low miles, one owner, maintained really well, minor blemishes, decent asking price. After we test drove it, it was a done deal! Here's a pic. We call him Monty.


And I really hope we don't have to get another car for a LONG time!!

Camping:
Our year has gotten off to a rotten start as far as camping is concerned. We didn't go AT ALL in the month of January!! To our defense, we had outrageous vet bills plus a new car to buy. BUT...we are FINALLY going camping in a couple weeks to celebrate our first anniversary. SO WEIRD!!! It literally feels like yesterday you were all here to help celebrate the start of our marriage. And as cliche as this sounds, time really does fly by when you're having fun. It's definitely been a stressful year at times, but the fact that we don't hate each other yet is good news, right? :-)

Et Cetera:

• We went to the most AWESOME Polish Restaurant last weekend with the family. I don't think I've had authentic polish food since my grandma Bubba (dad's mom) was alive. She used to make the most yummy Golabki. And pierogies have ALWAYS been a favorite. This place was amazing. It's called A Touch of Europeon Cafe. Check it out!!!
  
• I don't even want to tell you all how much weight I've gained over the past 4 years. It's quite disgusting, actually. But I started a diet in November and I've lost about 27 pounds since then. I've been off the diet for about a month now, but I'll be starting again in a few weeks. I'm not quite at my goal weight yet and I know it'll be a neverending struggle, but I'm happy that I've been able to stick with it. Can't wait to lose about a million more!!
• Last, but certainly not least, I am finally Finally FINALLY starting my masters program in a couple weeks. Crazy, huh? It's been almost 10 years since I finished my bachelor's degree and I've struggled with finding the motivation to continue for quite some time, actually. But, since I'm an academic counselor and I speak with students every day, trying to remind them of the importance of continuing their education, I find it quite hypocritical that I don't "practice what I preach." You know what I mean. All in all, I'm scared that I might fail and I'm nervous about how much time I'll have to spend. But I'm also excited about learning more about what I'm interested in and I'm looking forward to having another degree to fall back on. It's going to be hard and I might tell you all (at some point) that I want to quit. But, please....don't let me!!

I hope you are doing well.....we love and miss you all.....and to those we haven't seen in a while, we hope to see you soon!!

lake pleasant

Mom, Dad, Joe, Lucy Fur and I went camping this weekend to Lake Pleasant, just north of Phoenix.

My parents both work for Honeywell and, for years upon years upon years (since before it was even called Honeywell), there have been family events such as camping, Christmas parties, dances, rodeos, water park days, you name it! As kids, we always went to the annual Christmas parties, went to some rodeos and family water park days. We've never gone to the Lake Pleasant Campout and Fishing Derby but, apparently due to the economy, they are downsizing on their events for their employees and families. We've never gone to this campout before. Too bad, too, because it's probably the last one.

Anyway, I was actually a little hesitant to camp so close to Phoenix. It seemed like it wouldn't be the greatest "getaway", you know? When it came down to it, though, it was definitely a little crowded (people LOVE lakes here, man!) and there were people constantly driving back and forth kicking up dirt, but it actually turned out to be such a nice and relaxing weekend!! It was a little warm (pretty much the same temperature as Phoenix, since it's only about 30 miles to the North and West) and there was actually one point where we got hot enough to jump in the water. It definitely hasn't heated up fully yet since the summer hasn't "exactly" started yet, but it was so refreshing!!

We stayed up at night listening to dad jam on his guitar around the campfire, we walked around exploring, Lucy had a blast running around in and out of the water, played UNO, and.....of course, we sat around alot to just relax, chat, eat and just "be".

Enjoy the pictures...

A view of Lake Pleasant.
(you can see campers packed in on the left side)

Our campsite.

Joe splashing up some water.

Lucy ran around so much sniffing everything and playing in the water.
It's so cute when she's so exhausted that she just plops down to rest.

I love camping. Really can't get enough of it.

And this picture just tops it all off.


View MORE of our pictures from the camping trip HERE!!!

oh heavenly day...

Hey everyone!!!

We just wanted to take a few minutes to share a few pictures from the most heavenly day. We actually had two different photographers on our wedding day - one who took pictures at the church/ceremony (a guy named John) and one who was there snapping pictures of everyone all day long (a gal named Sam).

The following are just a few samples of pictures that were taken by Sam, who I met through my friend, Lindsay (who I knew from way back in grade school...you know, right around the age where boys and girls started getting little things called "crushes" on each other). Both Lindsay and Sam are the most genuine and artistic people you'll ever meet (take a look at their blogs and you'll see for yourself!). In addition, Sam is such a talented and (dare I say) humble artist who just captured things perfectly. So we thought we'd share a few of her portraits from our most heavenly day!!

Enjoy!

And stay tuned for more to come...

we've been busy...

Which is why we haven't posted in a while (not that I post that much...). Guests started arriving Monday February 16th, and everything went into fast forward. Wednesday Anna (muchacha) and T started to make the cake. Thursday I went and tried on my tuxedo to make sure everything fit correctly, met up with all my groomsmen and some family there. Later in the afternoon I went and got a haircut, then we went down to Theresa's parents house for an excellent dinner with family and friends. Following the dinner everybody in the wedding went to Holy Spirit in Tempe for the rehearsal. I was sweating profusely I was so nervous. Friday morning everybody met up at the Kolberg's again, and the girls went to do their spa thing while I took all the guys to Dave and Busters for some lunch and games. After we had spent enough money we headed back to Theresa's parents house for another great dinner with family and friends. After that T and I had to split up and go to seperate hotels for the night. I went to the Hawthorne Suites in Tempe where most of my family was staying, and Theresa went to the Fiesta Inn where a lot of her family and friends were staying. I probably wouldn't have slept at all without a sleeping pill that night, and even after taking one I only slept about 6 hours. Saturday morning I had breakfast at the hotel with the fam, then went to run some last minute errands. First stop was Target (I needed black dress socks!), then Starbucks, then back to the hotel to check out (forgot my hiking boots there, they still haven't turned up). Went to a drug store and got nail clippers (gotta have the nails neat in case the photographer wanted those "both our rings together" pictures. Had lunch with Ray (stress doesn't seem to effect my appetite) and headed over to the church. Briefly considered running to Mexico (just kidding !!!!). I waited anxiously in the Sacristy, peeking out the door as the church filled up. The ceremony went off with only a small hitch (apparently fingers get swollen and make it hard to get rings on), that most people didn't even notice, and everything went beautifully! After about 3.5 billion photos we made our way over to the reception. Everything was perfect, we had great meal, danced more than we ever had before, 2 million more photos, hours spent talking to friends and relatives and then it was all over way too soon, but it was the one of happiest days of my life. The hotel hooked us up with the Presidential Suite that was nicer than I thought it would be. Sunday morning we slept in, then headed over to pick up our precious little puppy, then went to Theresa's parents house once more to hang out with family, and open presents (we are working on the thank you notes now, they may take a while because people were too generous). Monday the real world made a brief appearance when my truck wouldn't start, but we didn't let that ruin our day, we just loaded up the car and took off ! I'll let T tell you all about our camping trip in a later post because I need to go to bed !

the countdown is ON!!!

I'm sure you have noticed that Joe and I have been a little lacksadaisical on our blogging over the past month or so. Please accept our apologies. We have had so much going on lately and definitely should have been blogging about it. We've been working, planning, meeting with DJs and MCs, meeting with the church wedding coordinator and musicians, hiking, camping, making seating arrangements, designing programs, getting kidney biopsies, etc.

[by the way...that last part was just Joe]

In addition, the next week or so may be a little crazy, too, because......Joe and I are gettin' hitched in exactly 7 days from today. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?? Time just flies by like you wouldn't believe, huh? We were talking about this last night, actually. When you're going through anything, it always seems like it will take such a long time to get through. But once it's past, you look back on it and realize that time just flew right on by. For example:

When we knew that Joe had to get a new kidney and that he would be on dialysis for a while, that time went by SO SLOWLY! And then the transplant day itself was crazy - realizing that it was all actually happening. He was actually getting a new organ! And right after the surgery, wondering if his body would accept or reject it, if there would be any complications, etc. It was all physically and mentally draining. But now, he's going on 4 months and 1 week with no complications whatsoever! Jen and the Mayo Clinic really worked a miracle!

And when Joe proposed last April we knew that we had almost a whole year before our big day. But now it's only 1 week away.

Time just flies by.

This weekend we will be cleaning like mad people, putting programs together (I am making them myself and really hope they turn out okay), getting a trial run of hair and makeup (this will be me only), as well as getting some last minute shopping done. Other than that, we are pretty much DONE and it is so exciting!!! I am excited to marry Joe because he's my favorite person! I'm excited to see all of my family and to meet Joe's friends and family I haven't met! I'm excited to spend time with friends, to see all of our family friends, and just have a good time! I'm so excited!!!

Thank you all for being there for us every step of the way...

25 Things You Never (kinda, maybe, sorta) Knew About Me

This is a little survey thing going around on Facebook and thought I'd share...

---

Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people, then click publish.)

1. I am so much in love with Joe. He's my favorite and he's just plain awesome. And we are getting married in 2 weeks!!!!

2. I have bitten my nails since I was in the womb. Last year, one of my 2008 New Years' resolutions was to stop biting my nails. It actually lasted about 9 months. My best time yet! This year, I am going to last the whole year, though. Almost 2 months now so far, and counting. Do you think they have meetings for nailbiters? he he

3. I love the Twilight series. LOVE it. Really can't get enough of it. I even went to see the first movie, Twilight, in the theater 3 times. And yes, I know how old I am.

4. I never had a dog growing up. Not saying that's necessarily a bad thing, but I finally got my first dog (Lucy Fur) at age 27 and am loving every second of it!!

5. I would like to write and publish a novel before I die.

6. After 16 years, Tim Robbins is still my favorite actor.

7. I accidentally slammed my sister's finger in our car door when I was about 6 years old. At least I THINK it was an accident. I don't really believe that, at age 6, I would maliciously plan and attack her finger.

8. I love to watch movies. All kinds. My favorites are The Shawshank Redemption, Braveheart, Love Actually, Pride and Prejudice (Colin Firth version), The Departed, The Red Violin, Crash, Bridget Jones movies, The Last Samurai, Boondock Saints, The Goonies, Someone Like You and The Fifth Element.

9. One of my absolute most favorite things to do is go camping. In fact...that's what Joe and I are doing for our honeymoon!

10. Joe and I have started hiking a lot recently. We decided to live in Phoenix right near the Phoenix Mountains Preserves because at the time we were thinking about living somewhere where we could spend a lot of time with our dog (we actually didn't have a dog yet). We FINALLY started going recently and it's just so much fun. I know the trails are right in the middle of the city, but there's actually a point where you hike up to the top of one of the summits and then start hiking down into a canyon-type area, and you can't hear a sound. You can actually see the Phoenix skyline off in the distance, but it's so silent and peaceful that it's almost eerie. I love that.

11. I hate talking on the phone. HATE it. And I work at a job where I am required to talk on the phone at least 3 hours every day.

12. I love music and think of myself as very musical. I play the guitar and piano and like to sing a little, too. I go through spurts every now and then when I will either play the guitar a lot, play the piano a lot, or do neither for a while. Right now, I'm starting to get in the piano phase again. I really need to keep at it, though, because some songs I used to be phenomenal at are now quite rusty.

13. I really want a Volvo. I have for years. I think the first time I really noticed them was when I first moved to Boston. There, every fifth or sixth car was a Volvo. They aren't very common in the southwest, so that's why I first took notice of them when I moved to New England. I really like the newer ones and I would LOVE to have one of the new C30's, but I really have a soft spot for the V70 (circa 1997). And I figure it's a fairly attainable goal...considering that every third and fourth car in Boston was either a Saab or a Porsche!

14. I would be a TERRIBLE actress.

15. I have a serious fear that Joe and I are going to lose our jobs. The way things are going right now, I'm actually terrified of it.

16. I love tuna casserole with a side of sweet peas.

17. I get really messy sometimes, but in an organized way (if that makes sense).

18. Sometimes I don't make sense.

19. I recorded about 11 tracks in a studio while I was living in Boston, and about 5 or 6 of them were originals. That was so much fun! I really want to do that again as some point.

20. I love graphic design. I'm not phenomenal by any means and am still learning, but I love it and really wish that I could possibly own my own design business one day.

21. I really miss Cheers and The Hampshire House. A lot. The people I worked with there really became a sort of "family" for me while I was living in the northeast. There is such a huge place in my heart for all of them.

22. We had a cat, Noodles, when I was 7 years old. After about 6 months (give or take a few) it ran away.

23. I want to travel more. I really want to go to Oregon this year. I also want to go to Alaska someday. I would also like to (finally) take a trip back East again. We haven't been able to go back since moving to Arizona. Also, Joe's never been to California, so we're definitely going to take a trip there. Outside the United States, the places I'd most like to see are Santorini (and really all of Greece), Italy, the British Isles, South America (in particular Iguazu Falls), Canada, and Australia and pretty much anywhere in the South Pacific.

24. I love to read. Pretty much just fiction. Especially women's fiction (i.e. "girlie books" that usually some in a bright pink, blue or purple color) and suspense (i.e. anything by James Patterson or Dennis Lehane). I know that I should be more interested in non fiction books, current events books, and the like. But at the end of the day, I'd much rather lose myself in someone else's imaginary worlds. My favorites are The Alchemist, The Giver, The Da Vinci Code, Pride and Prejudice, the Twilight series, and pretty much anything by Dennis Lehane, James Patterson and Marian Keyes.

25. That deaf, dumb and blind kid sure plays a mean pinball.

wedding update

Doing the invitations was a very interesting process.

Turns out that I don't have very good reading comprehension because I read up on exactly how to formally address wedding invitations and even explained the process to Joe and Alanna....and then threw caution to the wind only to realize about 20 invitations into it, that I had been doing them all incorrectly. They looked fine, of course...but were incorrect, nonetheless (according to wedding invitation etiquette).

To those who receive the erroneous invites, you will probably know who you are. And I take full responsibility and admit that Joe and Alanna did everything perfectly. Enough said.

The whole process was a lot of fun, though. And it made me realize how much there still is to do!! My mom, sister and I went to meet with the florist earlier in the week, so that's underway (and I'm SO EXCITED to see what she puts together with our flower choices!!!!). But there are still some things left undone. Once Christmas comes and goes (as it always seems to do so quickly!), then we'll be getting more in gear for the preparations.




I am really looking forward to seeing all the friends and family who are able to join us for our special day. It will be so much fun!!!

just checking in...

Greetings everyone!!

1. To those affected by the crazy weather in the Northeast, you are probably not even able to read this right now because you are without power (if you don't know what I'm talking about, click here). So even though you may not even be able to see this post, just know that our thoughts are with you as you have to deal with the lack of electricity, lack of heat and lack of all other things that are a Northeastern necessity during the winter months. Seriously, for the sake of all that is holy, I pray that the power situation is resolved soon. It's just terrible that this has happened during wintertime. Keep us posted!
2. I can't resist one more minute gone by without mentioning Twilight. Joe, Alanna and I went to see it on opening day and I wanted to talk about it right away, but wanted to wait. One reason is that I wanted to see the movie a second time, because that first time all I was noticing were the things that were different from the book. So, yes...the dork that I am...went to see it again. Joe actually went, too! I asked him many times if he wanted to see anything else other than Twilight and he just said "no"....only later did I find out that he only went to see it again to be supportive of my crazy obsession. He's so great, isn't he?? Anyway, we saw it again and I really liked it better because I could look at it more objectively. I know a lot of people gave it mixed reviews, but I liked it a lot. I think they did a really good job in selecting the actors and thought that everything they added just made the story really come alive. Yes, I may be crazy and should just stop talking about it already, but I just really enjoyed these books. And I hope that if they make a sequel, it's as well done as the first movie.
3. My friend, Lindsay, just had baby twins this past Sunday - Boston and Teagan. I am so thankful that everything has been going well for them. Her pregnancy started off a little rocky and there were many health concerns, but all is well. They have even posted some really precious pictures of the little ones, so take a gander if you are so inclined. I am just so happy that the family is finally all together and that mom and babies are doing well. Congratulations, Lindsay and Michael!!
   
4. Work is good. It's definitely been an adjustment, learning a new occupation, and I'm not 100% certain how it will all turn out. But for now, it's keeping me busy and keeping our bills paid, which is definitely something that not everyone can say right during this economic time. So, for having a job and roof over my head, I am definitely thankful. And I'm working overtime tomorrow which isn't really the first thing I think of doing on a Saturday morning, but will definitely help us out a little more, especially during the holidays!
   
5. The wedding is coming along like the little engine that could. The invitations just came in, so that is our big project for the weekend. Exciting!!! As for everything else, Joe and I are probably the biggest procrastinators in the universe (what a pair!!), so it's all coming together slowly. But it will be perfect. Normally I'm easily stressed out about big things, but right now I'm just excited and happy and I'm sure that everything will come together just fine.
6. Last, but not least, and update on Joey 3 Kidney Man! The Good News = he's healthy. It's been 2 months (time flies!!) since the transplant and all is well. He's doing fantastic and has never felt better. They are even starting to reduce and get rid of some of his prescriptions because his health keeps improving. And we got each other bikes for Christmas (see pictures here) and have been riding every day, so BOTH of us are more on the health track. The Bad News = Joe has to go back to work on Monday. (although, it's not terrible, because at least he'll be getting a full paycheck again). Plus, we'll be able to share in each other's misery again when we both get home from work every day and vent about how we wish we were independently wealthy and didn't have to go to work every day! (not holding our breath, though)

Hope all is well with everyone. Stay warm and safe this holiday season!!

it's almost here...

It's almost here. The moment you have all been waiting for.

[bear with me...I'm going to act like a teenager for a minute]

TWILIGHT OPENS IN THEATERS ON FRIDAY!!!!!



The only thing I'm concerned about is where to see the film. I'm almost certain that we will be surrounded by a sea of hormonally driven teenagers no matter where we go. It's going to be madness. There's already talk of theaters selling out, people camping out and waiting in long lines, you name it. And parking. I'm almost thinking that this weekend at movie theaters will be akin to the release of The Dark Knight - meaning, I think it may be impossible to find parking anywhere. [Don't remember what I'm referring to? Click HERE]

And I'm worried for Joe, too. Mostly because I know he doesn't wholeheartedly want to go. And also because I know that, once we are waiting for the film to start surrounded by loud, obnoxious (like we all once were) and screaming kids, he will look at me and probably wonder to himself, "who is this crazy person who made me come to this movie?" But he said he definitely wants to go. I know he is faking his enthusiasm, but I love how supportive he is of my mad indulgence in this crazy teen "thing". God, give him strength. And serenity.

Actually, I may need some, too. :o)

Can it be Friday yet???

being back on the mainland = bittersweet

Well, everyone...you can rest peacefully now because we are back home, safe and sound, from our vacation in Hawaii. Anyway, it would be near impossible and just ridiculous to load all of our 600+ photos into one blog, so I made some collages from our different island experiences. Enjoy!

OAHU

We flew into Honolulu last Friday (9/12) and stayed in a hotel on Waikiki Beach there. Honolulu was crazy and, if I may be so bold to say, the traffic there rivals that of Boston on it's WORST day. While Joe was at dialysis on Friday night, my family and I ventured to the Punchbowl (which is a national cemetery where a lot of veterans of WWII, Korea and Vietnam were buried). We were even fortunate enough to find the grave of my mother's uncle (my grandma's brother) who died in WWII and was buried there. It was a beautiful way to start our vacation. The trees were amazing and it was so green there. Saturday morning we had breakfast on the beach and then we hiked the Diamondhead Crater Trail, which is an extinct volcano that offers amazing views of the Oahu coast. We had enough time to relax and explore a little of the Honolulu area before boarding our ship, the Pride of America, Saturday night.

Punchbowl National Cemetery

Breakfast on the Beach, Waikiki-style

Diamondhead Crater Hike

The Pride of America

MAUI

On Sunday morning, we arrived in Maui - which was the first destination of the cruise and, after the craziness of Honolulu, became the favorite island of pretty much ALL of us. We drove around the coast a little and found Hookipa Beach, which is world famous for surfing, windsurfing, etc. It was so gorgeous and BLUE there! We even saw a monk seal taking a nap on the rocks. After Hookipa, we went back to the ship to get ready for the night time entertainment - a REAL Hawaiian luau!! We drove out to Lahaina and saw the United States's largest banyan tree before heading over to the Old Lahaina Luau. The luau was one of the greatest nights to date. On Monday morning, Joe had to head over to dialysis in Maui and, afterwards, we spent some more time at the beach before heading back to the ship to sail on to our next destination.

Hookipa Beach, Hana Coast

Old Lahaina Luau

Morning at the Beach, Maui

HAWAII

We anchored in Hilo, on the Big Island of Hawaii, on Tuesday morning and had a big day in store for us there. We took a wonderful tour of some very "Hawaiian" things. We got to tour Rainbow Falls (which earlier in the year flows faster), the Mauna Loa (macadamia) Nut Factory, and Volcano National Park where we saw Kilauea Crater (which has been erupting since 1983), Devastation Trail and even walked through an actual lava tube! On our way out of Hilo on the boat that night, we got to see (from a distance, of course) actual lava flowing into the Pacific Ocean. My snapshot of the lava flow isn't the greatest since we had to zoom way in, but just imagine orangy-hotness oozing from the earth and splattering hot lava into the ocean, creating an enormous cloud of sulphuric smoke. We even used my dad's binoculars to take a closer look and actually saw the lava splashing up into the air. Words can not describe how cool it was! The next morning we arrived in Kailua-Kona (the other side of the Big Island). My family went on a snorkel and raft excursion while Joe and I spent the day walking around the little town and snorkeling on Turtle Beach. The only turtle we saw was out of the water on a rock, but we also saw some really amazing fish.

Rainbow Falls/Macadamia Nut Factory/Orchid Gardens, near Hilo

Hawaiian Volcanic Action

Turtle Beach, Kona

KAUAI

Our final island on the cruise was Kauai. On Thursday, we took a drive out to Poipu Beach, where the water was blue and a monk seal swam within a couple feet of my mother. So freakin' cool!! Joe even thought I was joking when I said, "Hey! There's a seal!" After Poipu, my family went on a zipline excursion while Joe and I hung out at Kalapaki Beach before his dialysis that evening. The next day, we spent our finaly beach hours at Kalapaki Beach again, before sailing out of Kauai and back to Oahu to disembark. On the cruise out of Kauai, though, the captain steered the boat along the breathtaking NaPali Coast before sailing back to Honolulu - an awesome way to end our time at sea.

Poipu Beach, Kauai

Kalapaki Beach + Cruising by the NaPali Coast, Kauai

Once I upload all of our photos to a gallery, I'll let you know the link so that you can see all of the fun we had on our trip. Joe and I were half-heartedly discussing "accidentally" missing the last sail out of Kauai and just staying there. But we had to get home to our little Lucy (who we missed so FREAKIN MUCH!!!) and, plus, housing prices are pretty astronomical there. So we thought better and decided to come home. Still thinking about going back someday but, for now, responsibility and Joe's upcoming transplant prevent us from becoming a Hawaiian at this moment. But don't just take our word for it - GO THERE! Besides being a backdrop for some of Hollywood's most popular films (From Here to Eternity, King Kong, Blue Hawaii, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Waterworld, 6 Days 7 Nights, 50 First Dates, Jurassic Park - to name a few), Hawaii is just an amazingly beautiful place. So just go. In fact, GO NOW!!

Vacation !!!!!!!!!!

Here's Joe:
Lucy has already been dropped off at Dog Days in Tempe, and T and I are just doing some last minute cleaning before we go. As I type T is vaccuming and the dishwasher is going. All we have to do is shut everything down and leave. All our bags are packed and waiting by the door. We are officially on vacation until Sunday 9/21. I had kind of a morbid thought earlier, if this plane goes down, it's gonna wipe out the entire Kolberg , and McGowan Families since I'm the only son.

Here's T:
Yeah...now that I'm officially freaked out, thanks to Joe, I'm just gonna have a SWELL trip! I'll have to make sure we all read those emergency pamphelets a million times while on the flight over the Pacific so that we know them backwards and forwards with our eyes closed. he he he Kidding. It's gonna be a blast!! Sadly, I already miss our dog. Having never had a dog before, I've kinda got hooked on the little four-legged beast. And, yes...embarrassing, I admit...I even shed some tears after we dropped her off. What?!? You gotta problem with that? She's my child, all right? The most I've spent apart from her is one night. How am I gonna do TEN NIGHTS?? I will miss her like crazy and can't wait to pick her up when we get back, but I have a feeling I'll survive. She'll have a ball with the other dogs....and, I mean, come on! We'll be in HAWAII with the family!!! YIPPEEEEEE!! It's gonna be a blast! We'll have to make sure we are frugal and don't go bankrupt while we're there, but we're so EXCITED! And we'll be sure to take tons of pictures and post some as soon as we get back.

SAYONARA!!

you can tell a lot about a woman...

...by the amount of time it takes her to pick out her wedding dress.

Alanna and I went to a bridal shop last week to look at dresses and color options and stuff...and when we got there and started looking around, the (kind of rude) lady said that "in order to look at stuff and try stuff on, you need an appointment". Whatever. We signed up for an appointment.

Our appointment was set for today. On the way there, Alanna stressed the need for me to not take forever (as, apparently, I tend to take forever when trying on clothes in fitting rooms). So we got there a minute or two before our appointment, and I had picked a dress after 30 minutes (and that INCLUDES trying them on!).

I swear to you.

We were done at 11:30.

Then we picked out color options and Alanna tried some dresses on and we settled on a few bridesmaid dress options. It was so FUN!!!!!

Anyway, I even told Joe (on his lunch break) that I had gotten a dress and he didn't believe me. He said, "you mean the person who usually procrastinates everything actually picked a dress already?" I laughed....because it's TRUE!! I'm a procrastinator (it takes one to know one, Joe!!).

Now if you can tell a lot about a woman by the amount of time it takes her to pick out her wedding dress...then does that make me too hasty? I am a person who usually DREADS decision making. It could be because I'm partially phlegmatic in nature (it's been suggested by our Evenings for the Engaged mentors, that we read about our personalities so that we can all better understand each other and everyone else we know). But, anyway...maybe I was too hasty? I don't know. But one thing I DO know is that it's a pretty dress and I like it and that's all that matters.

the end of the world as we know it

I'm surprised I haven't heard about this before, but apparently there is an organization called CERN that is experimenting with physics in an underground facility at the Franco-Swiss border near Geneva, Switzerland.

From my understanding (bear with me because I'm not scientifically minded)...this Large Hadron Collider they have created is some sort of proton collider whose findings will shed light on particle creation and, in essence, help explain theories such as the Big Bang Theory. And one of the things I've read said that this collision of particles might produce some dangerous results including micro black holes, strangelets, vacuum bubbles and magnetic monopoles. Not sure what those are except for the black holes. Fantastic. We're all going to be wiped out and I learn about the end of the world the day before it's going to happen.

For those of us in America, according to this countdown, this collider will be tested on Friday 08/08/08 (freaky) at 12:00am (Mountain Time), 3:00am (Eastern Time).

They say that the likelihood of something catastrophic happening is very slim, but still.....why do people feel the need to experiment with physics? I mean, due to the fact that something bad COULD happen, they should just leave it alone and start testing theories in a safer manner.

Perhaps I'm being paranoid but, just in case, I want you to know that I love you all dearly and my life would never be the same without you. You will be in my heart for always.

But, if all goes well and there is no end of the universe tomorrow at midnight, I want to get this for myself....



A new Volvo C30. It's soooooooooooo pretty!

beating the quota

Basically, my only reason for writing this blog is because it's the last day of July, and I wanted to make July the month with the most blogs so far.

I'm weird...I know, I know.

Here are some more weird things about me (I know...can't believe there are MORE, can you?):

• Have you ever licked the back of a CD to try to get it to work? yes.
  
• Ever been in a car wreck? once with a parked car (not much damage), once with a pillar in the Boston Common garage (just needed a new headlight afterwards), and once this past November (got t-boned by a pregnant lady turning left right into my car).
  
• Were you popular in high school? like, of course. totally.
  
• Have you ever been on a blind date? yes. and we're getting married!!!
  
• Do you have any friends that you've known for 10 years or more? just a couple.
  
• Have you ever made a mistake? who hasn't?
  
• Are you a good tipper? I like to think so. Sometimes even when they aren't the greatest at serving. 20% is good, right?
  
• What the most you have spent for a haircut? I think it was about $220...but that included the dye job, too.
  
• What song do you want played at your funeral? "Another One Bites The Dust" by Queen
  
• Beatles or Stones? the Beatles
  
• Do you have any phobias? not that I can't think of right now
  
• If you were an animal, what would you be? a polar bear. they're lazy, right?
  
• Would you rather be blind or deaf? Blind. I would miss hearing things too much. Music. Laughter. I'd rather have my hearing and just get a seeing-eye dog.
  
• Do you have any special talents? uh...I think I'm kind of creative at times.
  
• What do you do as soon as you walk in the house? drop my keys and sunglasses on the table in the entry way.
  
• Do you prefer horror or comedy? comedy.
  
• What is your favorite sport to watch? baseball...especially when it's the Cubs or the Red Sox
  
• Are you named after anyone? one of my mother's childhood friends was named Theresa...so was my great grandmother.
  
• Do you sing in the shower? if I'm not in a hurry.
  
• What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving
  
• Have you ever caught a fish? oh yeah.
  

I know. Not the deepest of questions. But I found a bunch of survey questions online and thought I'd share my answers.

Ok. Now I REALLY need to find a job. :o)